<p>“Boy, do financial aid packages vary :P”</p>
<p>This.</p>
<p>“They gave me a glimpse into paradise and then told me that I could not stay…”</p>
<p>And this.</p>
<p>Having as many options as you can is critical when aiming for selective schools that fulfill “100% of students’ financial need,” particularly when you fall in that tricky income range. Because what many applicants don’t know (including myself at the time) is that each school’s definition of “need” varies. So cast a wide net when applying, be it in terms of number of schools or types of schools - private, state, etc.</p>